Altenglische legenden.

7. De sancto Johanne euangelista.

Saynt John, appostel & euangelist, Was cosyn vnto Jhesu Crist, Born of þe thrid of Maries thre, And his fader hight Ȝebede. Þis Ȝebede has suns two: Line 5 Elder James, saynt John also. Þaire fader & þai ferd on þe flode And with fisshing þai gat þaire fode. Sethin may men rede how Crist þam cald And made þam to wirk als he wald. Line 10 Vnto him war þai both ful dere, By-caus þai war his cosins nere. He lufed saynt John ouer al bydene, For he was mild and mayden clene. And how he lufed him, may men lere, Line 15 When Cristes passion drogh him nere: Þan slepid saynt John in Cristes kne And saw of heuyn sere preuete — Þat preuelage to him was tone By-fore his felows euerilkone. Line 20 Also, when Crist suld suffer dede, Þan set he saynt John in his stede Vntill his moder to tak ȝeme; For so he said it wold wele seme A mayden, þat lifd in chastite, Line 25 Suld keper of a mayden be — Byfor oþer had he swilk wirshepe, And þarto toke he ful gude kepe. Bot efterward so it byfell: When Crist had rysen & herid hell Line 30 And steghed to heuyn, whore mirth es mast, And sent to erth his haly gaste Opon his men & gaf þam might To preche his word by day and night: Þan war þe appostels parted wide Line 35 To sere cuntres and on sere syde. Saynt Jon þan gun his iorne hald Vnto a cuntre, was Asy cald. Þe word of Crist þore preched he And turned pople ful grete plente, Line 40 In Cristes law forto be lele, And founded kirkes ful ferly fele. Þe word of him welk al þe land And folk ful fast fell to his hand. Till at þe last þe Emperoure, Line 45 Þat þore was lord of grete honure, Herd tel al how saynt Jon had went. And efter him sone has he sent, Opon his goddes he bad him trow. And for he wold noght to him bow, Line 50 He gert ordan a tun of bras, Ful of oyle welland it was, He gert saynt John þarin be done — For so he hopid be venged sone. Þe stede þat it was ordand in Line 55 Was named þan "þe port latyn". Al-if þe oyle war welland warme, Þe appostell had þarof no harme; For he was clene of flesly syn, Noþer oyle ne fire his flesh might brin, Line 60 Bot furth he went with-outen skathe. Þan was þe Emperoure wonder wrathe. Þe appostell preched ay more and more, Þe Emperoure ordand þarfore — To exile him þan thoght him best, Line 65 For els he hopid to haue no rest: He sent him furth with mony a knight Vnto ane ile, þat Patmos hight, And so he ordand him to close, He suld noght pas out of Patmose. Line 70 So lifd he þore in ermit state And in þat tyme a buke he wrate Of heuynly sightes, þat he gun se Whils þat he slepid in Cristes kne; Þat buke "Apocolips" es cald — Line 75 So was it wretyn, als god wald. Byfell in þat same ȝere sertayne. Þe Emperoure was in batayl slayne, And efter þe dede of þe Emperoure Was lord souerayn þe senatoure. Line 80 Dedes þat þe Emperoure gert do, War nothing lykand him vnto; To him & his counsayl it semid Þat saynt Jon was with wrang flemid, And sone þai toke þaire purpos playn Line 85

Line 85 Þat saynt Jon sold be broght ogayn. And so ogayn he was gert cum With grete honoure to Ephesum, Þat was a cete of grete wirshepe. Ful mekill folk went him to kepe: Line 90 "Blisced mot he be, al say þai þus, Þat in goddes name cumes vntil vs!" Þus witht grete mirth þai gun him mete. And euyn ogayns þam in þe strete Þai met men makand symple chere, Line 95 And omang þam þai bare a bere With a body, þat to ded was dight, Of a widoy þat Drusyan hight. Scho had bene a ful worthly wyue And lufed saynt Jon wele al hir lyue. Line 100 Sune when hir kinred saw saynt Jon, Þai knew him wele and cried ilkone: "A, saynt Johne, we bere now here Drusyan þat was þe ful dere, Þat euer was bown in wurd & will Line 105 Þi bidinges baynly to fulfill; And scho couayted ouer alkyn thing For to here of þi home-cumyng: For in hir prayers night & day Þir wordes on þis wise wald scho say: Line 110 Lord, wher I sall euermore se My lordes appostell cum to me? — Now ertw cumen: & so es dyght Þat scho may neuer of þe haue sight". When saynt John saw þis simple chere, Line 115 He bad þai suld sett down þe bere, "And leses þe body al-so!" he sayd. And þan on þis maner he prayd: "My lord Jhesu, god most of might, Drusyan, my frend, he rais þe right! Line 120 I bid þe rise, & wend furth home And dight my mete ogayns my come". Þan rase scho vp both hale & fere, Right als scho fro slepe raysed were, And, als he cumand, home scho wendes. Line 125 Ful mekill mirth made al hir frendes And loued god þat hir had raysed, And all þe peple þe appostell praysed. Sune efter þan þus byfell: Þore in þat same cete gun dwell Line 130 A philisopher, þat Craton hight, A grete klerk & man mekil of might; Perfite he was in payines lawe, [Ms. paymes.] Ful mony assented vnto his sawe. Disciples had he many also, Line 135 And omang þam war brether two, To wham grete rentes in mony a stede Was fallen efter þaire fader dede. Þis Craton gaf þam to counsaile And sayd: "þis werld will fayntly faile; Line 140 Deles noght þar-with — þan do ȝe wele, Gose sell yowre rent euer-ilka dele!" And als he bad, þai did in hy. Þan precius stones he gert þam by. When þai had boght ful grete plente, Line 145 Þe folk þan samyn sembled he, For he wold lere þam on þat wise Þe werldes welth forto despise. Vnto þo childer þan gun he speke: [Ms. gum.).] "Þir stones in-sunder sal ȝe breke, Line 150 Þat men may se & ensawmple take Þis worldes welth how ȝe forsake". Þe childer war rewlid efter his rede, Byfor þe pople in þat stede Þai brak þe stones þat þai had boght, Line 155 Als men þat of no riches roght — Stones þat bifore war mekill of prise War nothing wurth, brokin on þat wise. Herfore þe pople þam praysed fast. So fell: saynt John furth by þam past. Line 160 Of þat werk was he nothing payd And vnto Craton þus he sayd: "Who so wold þis werld despise, Þai suld noght wirk opon þis wise. Þat almus es noght wurth, we ken, [folio 21] Line 165 Þat es done for louyng of men. In sight of men ȝe do þis dede, Þarfore of god ȝe get no mede; Of men it makes ȝow haf a name, Bot of god es it more to blame. Line 170 Who so will right þe werld for-sake, Of Crist he sall ensawmple take: He sais þus: þou sal sel þi gude And gif to find pouer men þaire fode, Þan of þi gift will god be payd". Line 175

Line 175 To þis Craton answerd and sayd: "If verray god þi maister be And techis þus als þou tels to me. And will pouer men herof haue dale: Lat se, tak þou þir peces smale Line 180 And mak þam precius stones ogayne! So þis þat I haue wrogh(t) in vayne, By-caus men suld þar-to tak kepe, Do þou it vnto goddes wirshepe!" Saynt John þan gedird þo peces smale Line 185 And thurght his prayer made þam hale In precius stones, sum les, sum more, Als faire als euer þai war byfore. Þan Craton and þe childer two, And men & wemen mony one mo, Line 190 Turned to Crist and toke baptym Of saynt John, and furth folowed him. Þe childer sold þaire stones þen And gaf þe prise vnto pouer men; Þe pople þan praysed þam more Line 195 Þan for þe dede þai did byfore. Furth with saynt John þai went alway. Till efterward opon a day Þai se whore men & wemen standes Þat byfore had bene þaire seruandes, Line 200 Ful faire of face & nobilly fed And in ful precius clething cled — And þam-self was in symple wede [Ms. symeple.] And pouerly, als þe apostell, ȝede: Þan in þaire hertes þai gun repent Line 205 Þat þai had sold all þaire rent And broght þam self to begger state. Þaire chere bygan forto abate And dreri wex þai in þaire mode. And sone, when saynt John vnderstode Line 210 Þat of þaire werk þai war noght payd, Vnto þo childer þus he sayd: "Gose to þe wod & get ȝow wandes And bring þam home bunden in bandes! And gose to grauell biside þe se Line 215 And many stones bringes vnto me! So sall ȝe be cumforted right sone". And als he cumand, so haue þai done. Sone when þai war broght him byfore, In oþer kind he turned þam þore: Line 220 Þe wandes to gold gude for þe nones, And þe grauell to precius stones; He toke þam to þe childer two And bad þam vnto goldsmithes go And vnto Jewelers, þat knew Line 225 To luke if þai war gude & trew. Þai went seuyn dais & come ogayne And sayd: "sir, al men says sertayne Þat þir wandes er gold ful clene, And better stones haf þai noght sene". Line 230 Þan sayd saint John: "no lenger ȝe stand Bot gose and byes ogayne youre land And rent, þat ȝe byfore haf solde, Ouþer þe same or duble folde! So sal ȝe sone haue vp ȝowre cost — Line 235 And blis of heuyn ȝe both haue lost. A while ȝe sall be faire als floures, Bot for euer ȝe sall cast colurs; A while in riches sall ȝe lend, And be beggers with - outen end". Line 240 Þan saynt John gun a sarmon make How men suld werldes welth forsake, Þat es to say: noght sett þarby Bot to goddes seruis soueraynly. Þat shews he by ensaumples sere, Line 245 And sex resons he rekin here [rekin st. rekins.] No cristen men suld couayt it. Þe first he preues by haly wryt: How þe riche man sat in his hall Cled in purpure and in pall, Line 250 And had what he wald efter think, Both daynte metes & delicius drink, And al men fayn him forto plese; And þe Lacer, þat died in disese, Was lifted to heuyn & with god lufde, Line 255 When þe riche man in hell was reproued — Noght onely for his erthly fode, Bot for he gaf noght of his gude Vnto þe pouer þat had more nede; — Herto he bad men suld tak hede. Line 260 Þe secund: he sayd men suld haue mynde How þai er pouer of þaire owyn kynde: Nakid born and all vncled And with grete bale broght furth & bred, And seþin þe life þat þai here lede Line 265

Line 265 Es night & day in dole and drede. If werldes riches be to þam send, To goddes louyng þai suld it spend, For als nakid sal þai wend oway Als þai come furth on þe first day; Line 270 If þai gif gudes to goddes louyng, To blis in heuyn it will þam bring; And in euil vse if þai it spend, It wynnes þam wo with-outen end. Þe thrid: who will þe werld forsake, Line 275 He sayd, þai suld ensaumple take At þe sun & mone and sternes bright, Þat dose þaire deueyre day and night, Þai send þaire light to ilka place, To mend al men þat mister hase; Line 280 Vnto þam-self þai hald noght fre Bot castes al furth in comunalte. So suld we comun oure erthly gude, Þat none fail for defaut of fode; Vnto oure - self we suld noght spare Line 285 And suffer oþer men mys - fare. Þe ferth caus may be cald vnhapp, Þat so a mans hert may vmlapp: He dredes his gude sal fro him fall, So þat he dar noght part with all. Line 290 Þe buke says seruand he es Vnto þe fend & to riches; He serues to þe fend fully, For he serues vnto mawmetry When his hert & will er ordand euyn Line 295 More to his gudes þan to god of heuyn; For þan, als witnes haly writ, His gude him ȝemes, & he noght it. Þe fift: men suld refuys riches For grete charges and for bysines Line 300 And grete trauayl by many ways Þat fallis þarto both nightes & days. For werldly gudes who so will gete, Ful oft - tymes bus haue trauayl grete. When it es getyn, þan has he drede, Line 305 To spend it vnto his moste spede; With mekill drede he will it kepe, To make haue werldly wirshepe. Bot þe werst es, when he has wo And sorowe when he sal part þarfro: Line 310 Him think it es to him so dere, He wold ay þat þai samyn were; To part þarfro he has grete payne — And oþer frendes þar - fore er fayne. Þir thre maners men may reherce Line 315 Als es contend here in two uerse: Diues diuicias non congregat absque dolore, Non tenet absque metu, non deserit absque dolore. Þe sext teches both old and ying To refuys riches for ruseing, For riches bringes in rosing so Þat it ledes to ay - lastand wo. Line 320 Duble desese it dose to sum: In þis life, & in life to cum; In þis life gers it him haue rose, Þat he takes no hede how he dose, In hert it makes so hawtayne Line 325 Þat nouþer he sese to ioy ne payne; With rosing so þe werld him glose Þat lastand life it gers him lose; Þus duble harm to a man it wins. And duble gude fro him it twins: Line 330 Þat es grace þat he here suld haue, To sese of syn, and his sawle saue; It reues him will wele forto wirk Owther vnto god or haly kirk, And so he loses ay-lastand sele, Line 335 Þat he suld wyn, if he did wele. — Whils saynt John prechid on þis wise And wissed men þe werld to despise, So was þore broght furth him biforn A body þat was to beriyng born; Line 340 His frendes for him ful fast gun grete And fell byfore þe appostell fete. Þe moder him prayd to rays hir sun, Als he with Drusyane are had done: "Gude sir, do to my sun þat same Line 345 Thurgh might of þi god & his name!" On þis wise all þe pople prayd. And when saynt John herd how þai sayd And how sad trowth in þam was sett, He knelid to grownd, & for Joy gret. Line 350 And by he had made his prayere, Þe childe rase vp both hale & fere. Al loue þai god þan in þat stede. And saynt John bad him þat was dede [folio 22] Þat he sul tell þo brether two Line 355

Line 355 Þat first graunted with him to go And now wold by þaire rent ogayne, Whethir þai suld haue Joy or payne. Þan þis child bygan to tell Of paradys & of paynes of hell, Line 360 Whilk was to loue & whilk to lak. And þan to þo brether he spak: "Allas, he sayd, wricches vnwise! Ȝe haue made ful euil marchandise! I saw yowre angels wepeand sore Line 365 And deuils laghand ful fast þarfore. I saw a palais of grete cost Þat ȝe haue for ȝowre foly lost; With al riches it es arrayd, perfitely paynted and purtrayd; Line 370 Þore es delites of mete & drink, More þan men may efter think: Þar es no tung in erth may tell What Joy þai haue þat þore sal dwell, And þat sal last withouten end — Line 375 Ful wele es þam sall þeder wend!" And þan he told þam þore ogayne How þai had serued sertayne payne. And sum paynes gun he þam rehers Als es contend here in two vers: Line 380 Vermes & tenebre, flagellum, frigus & ignis, Demonum aspectus, scelerum confusio, luctus — Wurms mony, with mirknes, cold, Beteing ful felly, with fire hate, Deuils sight in dirknes of syn And shame, wepeing with wonges wate. When al þir tales war told þam to, Line 385 Þan both he and þe brether two Fel doun to þe apostell fete And for þaire syn sore gun þai grete; Þe brether sayd þai wold for-sake Al erthly gudes and to him take, Line 390 Þe werldes riches þai wold despise. Þan said he to þam on þis wise: "Þir thritty dais I bid ȝe be In prayers & in penaunce fre, And prays to god for his grete might Line 395 To turn þis gold & þir besandes bright In-to þaire kind to cum ogayne: Þan sal ȝe haue ȝoure purpose playne". By thritty days war cumen all clene, Þe gold was wurthed to wandes grene, Line 400 And to grauell þe precius stones. Þan wist saynt John wele for þe nones Þat þam was graunted grace ogayne Þat so byfore had seruid payne. So was it shewd efter ful sone: Line 405 For grete uertuis by þam war done. Þan saynt John and his cumpany In Effesom and in Assy Techid þe folk & told þam how Þat þai to Crist suld turn & trow Line 410 And stabilly þan how þai suld stand. And þan þe maysters of þat land, Þat of þaire lawes couth dudge & deme [Ms. dudge = judge; d scheint durch die Alliter. gefordert.] And had þaire fals goddes forto ȝeme, To saynt John had þai grete despite. Line 415 And þarfore gert þai tak him tyte And broght byfor þaire god Dyane: "Do wirship him!" þai cried ilkone. Þan saynt John to þo maysters spak And sayd: "I will þis couenand mak: Line 420 If ȝe may ger ȝowre god Dyane Cast down a kirk of tre and stane Þat ordand es in þe name of Criste, Þan will I be to him obliste; And if he may none swilk dedes do Line 425 And I here speke so him vnto In Cristes name forto ger fall His temple & him - self with all, To Crist ȝe sall turn ȝowre entent". Vnto þis saw þai all assent. Line 430 Þe appostel prayd þan in þat stounde: And sone he gert all go to grounde, Als wax þat meltes ogayns þe fire. Þan was þe bisshop ful of ire, And grete power þan sembled he, Line 435 With cristen folk to feght or fle. Þan saynt John thoght, it was noght gude To be caus of spillyng of blude,

If it myght any better be; Þan to þe bisshop þus sayd he: Line 440 "Sir, lat all þis strif be still And I sall wirk what so þou will". Þan thoght þe bisshop with sum wile Or with sum gaud him to bygile, And þus he sayd: "if þou so think, Line 445 Venom will I þat þou drink: And if þou haue no harm þarby, Þan semys it þi god es mighty. And if þou will I on him trow, Do so als I haf sayd þe now!" Line 450 So trowed he to ouercum him wele. Þe appostell sayd: "I graunt ilk dele". Þan sayd þe bisshop, him forto flay: "Oþer men sall þi drink assay: And if þai dy bifor þi sight, Line 455 Þan may þou be avised right Wheþir þou will lif or so be shent". Þe appostell sayd: "sir, I assent". Þan gert he bring furth in þat stede Two men þat war dampned to be dede: Line 460 Þai drank and so þai war poysound, Þat down þai fell ded on þe ground. And þan þe appostell tok þe same And blisced it in Cristes name; He drank it of euer-ilka dele Line 465 And no harm þar-of gun he fele. Al þe folk loued god þar-fore. Bot ȝit þe bisshop sayd to him more: "I se þi god es mekill of mede, Bot ȝit sum - dele I dwell in drede. Line 470 And þou might now þir ded men rays, Þan think me þi god war to prays, Þan wold I turn and trow him to And namo maystris bid þe do Ne miyn to (!) þe none oþir note". [Ms. miyn, oder nuyn?] Line 475 Þe appostell þan did of his cote And toke it þore þe bisshop to. And he askyd him whi he did so: "Trous þou, he sayd, to ger me dote, To trow in þi god for þi cote? Line 480 Gif it to þam þar - of has nede! Or tell me whi þou dose þis dede!" He sayd: "sir, for to mak þe stabill And lat þe fele it es no fabill. Go lay it on ȝon ded bodise Line 485 And speke vnto þam of þis wise: Cristes appostell sent me hider In his name to rays yow both to-geder". Þe bisshop toke þe cote and ȝode — Ful mekill folk obout þam stode; Line 490 He sayd als þe appostell him gert: And vp þai rase in ful gude quert. Þe bisshop þan & al his clerkes Praysed þe appostell and his werkis, And all þe pople turned to Crist, Line 495 And of þe appostell þai war baptist; And of þaire fals laws so þai sest And cristen law ful fast encrest. Þe bisshop gert mak kirkes of stone In þe honure of god and saynt John, Line 500 And almus-dedes on dyuers wise, And endid so in goddes seruise. — When saynt John was in þis werld here Of eld nerehand a hundreth ȝere, Þan, als he went opon a day, Line 505 A brid was gifen him in þe way. And als he playd þar-with þat tyde, Ȝong childer ȝode shoteand byside. One of þam to his felows says: "Se, ȝon olde man with a brid plays Line 510 Als ȝong childer er wont to do." Þan saynt John cald þat child him to, For wele he wist all his entent. And þe child sune his bow vnbent And to þe appostell he him puruayd. Line 515 And þan saynt John vnto him sayd: "Sune, whi lettes þou down þi string?" And þe child said: "sir, for þis thing: To ger my bow be more of mayn And bigger, when it es bent ogayn: Line 520 Þe stiffer strake þan sall it strike". And saynt John sayd: "so es it like With men þat vses deuociowne And will to goddes biddinges be bowne. Sum tyme of solace haue þai nede, Line 525 Els sall þai be dull in þaire dede;

And efter solace er þai more abill To stody, more stalwurth & stabill". — Of saynt John may men find also: On of his clerkis was went him fro; Line 530 He vsed to thift and robry And gat to him grete cumpany, And by a mountayne syide þai dweld And als þaire mayster þis þai held; Þai robbed men þore many one. Line 535 Þe appostell wist noght wheder he was gone. Bot at þe last when he herd tell Of þat mountayn whore þai gun dwell, A hors he bad suld redid be; For olde and al vnwelde was he, Line 540 He was noght vsed ful oft to ride, Bot þan he wold no langer byde, He rade vp to þat hill on hight. And when his clerk of him had sight, [folio 23] He fled for shame and wald haf past. Line 545 And saynt John strake his hors ful fast And efter him he cald and cried, And þat oþer fast fro him hyed: "Dere sun, habyde & speke with me! Whi suld þou fro þi fader fle? Line 550 Þou wist neuer none þat wirship wan To fle an old vnarmyd man. Dere sun, habide and drede þe noght! And als þou will, so sal be wroght. Vnto god for þe sal I pray Line 555 And my life for þe will I lay. God has me sent þe forto seke". When þe child herd þo wurdes meke, He fel vnto þe appostel fete And for his sin sore gun he grete. Line 560 Þe appostel kneled & kissed his hand, Als him þat he repentand fand. Þus he & his felows in-fere Conuerted to Crist with hertes clere. Saint John his clerk þus helpid has, Line 565 And seþin a gude bisshop he was And lifed and dyed in goddes seruise — God graunt vs to wirk on swilk wise. — Isyder tels vs: when saynt John Was old a hundreth ȝere al bot one — Line 570 And fel fro Cristes passion euyn To rekyn sexty ȝeres and seuyn — Crist and oþer appostels ilkone Aperd and sayd þus to saynt John: "Cum vnto me, my wele-lufd frende! Line 575 For it es tyme now þat þou wend Fro þis werld, þat sune befe seste, And with þi brether be at my feste. For þou in flesh has done no mys, Þi sawl sal be with me in blis". Line 580 Saynt John þan made him bown to gang; Crist sayd: "abyde ȝit, bot noght lang! On sunday next, now warn I þe, At my fest þan sal þou be". Saynt John on þat same sunday þan Line 585 Ordans him in al þat he can; In þat same kyrk he held him þore Þat in his name was founded byfore. And al þe peple of þat cete Cum vnto þe kirk þan cumand he. Line 590 He prechid þam of goddes law, Fro þe first cok bigan to craw Vnto þe sext houre of þe day, And þus he warned þam al-way And bad, þat þ(a)i sold euer-more be [Ms. þi st. þai.] Line 595 In perfite luf and charite And ilkon do to oþer ryght so Als þai wold wer done þam vnto, And þat þai suld be euer-more abill In þaire faith forto be stabill Line 600 And hald þat þai hete in bapteme And Cristes bidinges al-so to ȝeme. When þis was done, he did a mes And resayued Crist, als custum es, And of his brether howseld he Line 605 And oþer þat wold howseld be. When tyme come nere þat he suld wende, Þan euyn at þe high-awter ende A graue foure-cornerd gert he wirk And kest þe erth without þe kirk; Line 610 And euyn reuist right als he was, Into þat graue so gun he pas.

To god he held vp both his hend And sayd: "my lord, sen þou has send To call me, to þi fest at cum Line 615 With my brether all and sum, Knawand on what wyse þat I Haue ȝernid to þe euer soueraynly: Now cum I at þi cumandment, Loueand þi grace with gude entent". Line 620 His brether þan he blissed þore, And so of him þai saw namore. Als he was clene fro syn sertayne, So went his sowl with-outen payne; And als he was here mayden milde, Line 625 So was his fleff fro filth vnfilde. Þan swilk a light come in þat place And held wele half an houre of space, Þat noman might luke whore he lay. And when þe light was went oway, Line 630 Þan fand þai al ful, whore he stode, Of manna, þat es angell fode. And ȝit es sene at þat same graue How al has hele þat help will craue: For thurght þe mightes of saynt John Line 635 Miracles es done þore manyone. — And als men may find in a stede, Mony hundreth ȝeres efter he was dede Saynt Edward was of I(n)gland kyng; [Ms. Igland.] And who so askid him ani thing Line 640 For saynt Jhones luf, þe euangelist, Of almys-dede neuermore þai mist. And so bifell opon a day: He met a palme(r) in þe way, [Ms. palme.] Þat for saynt Jhon made his prayere, Line 645 And þe kinges awmoner was noght nere. And for he had none oþer thing, To þe palmer gaf he his gold ring. And efter þat tyme wele two ȝere Þan bifel on þis manere: Line 650 A knight trauayld byȝonde þe se And in-to Ingland boun was he; A palmer met him on a day, Þat vnto him þir wurdes gun say: "Sir, bere ȝowre king þis ring with þe Line 655 And say to him þir wordes fro me: Þe man to wham þou gaf þi ring, Þat for saynt Jhones luf asked sum thing, He sendes þe here þi ring ogayne". Þan may men se by proces playne Line 660 Þat saynt Jhon was in pilgrim wede And proued þe king of almus-dede. — God graunt vs so oure gudes to gif, Þat we in lastand life may lif! Amen.